WA has kept its title hopes alive after successfully negotiating a challenging run chase to defeat Queensland at the National Under 19 Championships in Canberra.
Queensland declared their first innings closed on 8-351 after skipper Jason Floros won the toss and chose to bat first. The former ACT under-age representative also led the way with the willow for his team, striking a superb 102.
A couple of “sons of guns” also fired for Queensland, with opener Corey Barsby – son of current Bulls Head Coach Trevor – making 73 at the top of the order, while Alister McDermott – son of former Australian paceman Craig – hit a quickfire 53 not out to enable his team to pass the 350 mark.
Andrew Cameron took 3-66 to be the best of the WA bowlers. He has now taken seven wickets and is WA's second leading wicket-taker behind Luke Waterhouse, who is the equal leader for the entire competition with 14.
Perth's Jason Hill snared 2-66 from 19 overs, while Waterhouse and Darryl Mitchell picked up one wicket apiece.
Cameron and Marcus Harris combined for an opening stand of 63 to get the run chase off to a solid start. However they were unable to go on with their start and both fell for 38.
When Aaron Todd departed for 29, WA was teetering on the brink at 3-139. Enter Phil Adams and skipper Tom Beaton.
The pair punished the Queensland bowlers, belting them to all corners of the Marist College Oval in a blistering 145-run stand.
Beaton was dismissed for 74 with the total on 284, but Adams carried on with the business. He guided WA over the line to a five wicket win, despite losing Sam Whiteman for nine just prior to passing the Queensland total.
Adams was eventually dismissed for a magnificent 171, which saw proceedings come to a close with WA 6-373. The rising Bayswater-Morley star's knock came from just 174 deliveries and contained 22 boundaries and six sixes.
He has moved to second on the tournament batting aggregate chart with 329 runs at an average of 105, just 14 runs behind Floros with one match to play.
That match is against the unbeaten reigning champions NSW, who defeated WA in last season's decider in Newcastle.
In a three-way tussle for supremacy, WA, NSW and Victoria – who play Queensland in their final two-day game of the carnival – all remain in the running to be declared National Under 19 Champions.
The teams enjoy another rest day today before WA's must-win two-day match against NSW is played at Manuka Oval tomorrow and Thursday.
